


Farah Dowling

by theWholeShebang



Category: Fate: The Winx Saga (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Headcanon, I never post stuff like this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:09:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29581452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theWholeShebang/pseuds/theWholeShebang
Summary: A biography of the life of Alfea’s headmistress Farah Dowling.
Kudos: 24





	Farah Dowling

**Author's Note:**

> I usually write out a little background for the characters I write about but this one is so fleshed out I figured why not post it. It is very different from my normal writing, so I hope you guys enjoy!

Farah Dowling grew up in a small fishermentown in one of the far corners of the Other World. The oldest and the only girl out of four children, she soon learned how to assist her mother with the daily household chores.  
Her dad was a water fairy and her mother a mind fairy but neither had enough power to secure a place at Alfea. To be honest, Mrs Dowling had stopped school altogether at the age of fifteen and only ever used her powers inside the house. Mr Dowling had gone through the local fisherman training and had his own boat. He was a simple and hardworking man, who took much pride in his work. He adored his daughter.  
It was clear to both parents that Farah was a special child. Before she reached her tenth birthday, her powers had outgrown theirs. They were proud of their daughter, but treated her just like they treated their three sons. One of them showed signs of magic as well.   
A week before Farah’s thirteenth birthday, misfortune fell upon the family. In a very nasty and possibly unnatural storm the Dowling boat went down. By some small miracle Mr Dowling was found alive two days later, clinging on to some driftwood. The cold seawater had done it’s damage unfortunately and Mr Dowling lost his right leg and six of his fingers. More importantly, the trauma of the accident seemed to have cut off his magic.  
Without his job he had lost his purpose and the family its income. Farah’s oldest brother had to start working, aged only twelve and her mother took up some cleaning jobs in the closest city. Suddenly Farah was responsible for the household and stuck at home with her little brothers and a father who drank away his sorrows.   
The years that followed were tense. Farah’s father missed the solitude of the sea and felt cooped up in the little cabin. He started to resent his family. Farah remembered how her father would sit by the fire and tell his children about his adventures at sea, it seemed that without the adventures at sea, he did not like coming home to his family.   
Her mother did not like this new situation either. She was used to the safety of her home and the company of her children. Suddenly she found herself alone in a big city. Even though she tried to stay strong, Farah could see how much she suffered.   
In just one moment her simple but happy family had changed in one that was struggling and miserable. None of the family members lacked courage and everyone tried hard to make the best of the situation. Nevertheless, Farah was relieved when an official from Alfea turned up at their cabin and offered her a place at the prestige fairy school.   
Mr and Mrs Dowling realised the importance of Farah’s education and made the necessary arrangements to ensure that Farah could spend her school years at Alfea. Farah left, both proud and guilty for she knew how much her education would cost her family.

For most students Alfea was their first chance of standing on their own two feet but for Farah it was actually a break from all her responsibilities. For the first time in a long time she could do what she wanted most. Alfea was the academic challenge Farah never knew she missed in life and she loved every minute of her lessons. She did however find that she was quite different from the other students. Most of them came from prestigious families and had grown up together as they attended the same balls. She came from the part of the Other World that most humans found backwards. Alone and determined she threw herself on the lessons and soon she was Alfea’s most promising student.  
This did not go unnoticed by headmistress Rosalind, who took an interest in the mature and promising student. One afternoon she invited the young fairy for tea. Farah had not met an adult she could share her troubles with in a long time and found herself opening up to Rosalind with an ease she did not expect. Rosalind felt respect for the hardworking fairy with her simple background and took it upon herself to guide the fairy through Alfea.  
This friendship continued for the following years. Farah never left Alfea, the place she felt like she truly belonged. By the time Rosalind offered her a teaching position, both of her younger brothers had started their specialist training. Alfea truly felt like home and she felt grateful to Rosalind for making it all happen. Rosalind had compensated the Dowling family for the loss of income of the three children and Farah felt indebted.   
Farah had spent her school days training with Andreas. When she was offered a teaching position, Andreas offered her a room in the apartment he shared with his closest friend Saul Silva. Soon she found that she really connected with Saul. He had grown up in Andreas’ household, in the Fort of Eryklyon, as both his parents had died at the hand of Burned Ones. She immediately felt a bond with this displaced orphan and their friendship made Andreas a bit jealous at times.   
Burned Ones advanced through the Other World. Times were dark. Yet Farah had some of her happiest moments in those years living in the apartment with the boys. She had a   
home, she had friends and she had a clear purpose in life. Rosalind had taken a shining to her and their friendship developed into something deeper than Farah had ever had before.  
Farah had also formed a bond with Rose, who had graduated Alfea a few years before she started. She introduced Rose to her classmate Ben and was asked to be a witness for their wedding only three months later.   
The war was imminent and Rosalind had asked Farah to pick some members for an elite team. She asked her friends Andreas, Saul and Rose, but the latter was not comfortable taking orders from Rosalind. Ben took her place instead.  
The four of them trained hard and learned to trust each other like Farah had never done before. The results they booked were captivating and Farah learned to love the power she felt when it was just the four of them depending on their training.   
By now it was clear that Rosalind’s methods were ruthless. If she had any doubts about them Farah was really good at ignoring them. She felt deeply indebted to the woman who had given her a home and a purpose. Besides she knew that they were doing good work. Their team was successful at pushing the Burned Ones back. War was difficult and she had decided to trust Rosalind. She was loyal. Also she had never had someone guide her before and it was a nice break from responsibility.   
Rose shared her growing concerns with her, but Farah never listened. It was easier and clearer to trust Rosalind.   
After Astra Dell happened she made Rose a promise. She would never shy away from responsibilities again. She would always hold herself accountable. And even more importantly she would never let herself forget what pain her ignorance had caused.  
After Rose’s death she was even more determined to keep that promise.

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think? Are there any aspects of Farah’s life you would like to see in a one-shot? 
> 
> Love,  
> TheWholeShebang


End file.
